Tag Archives: dcim software
What is DCIM? DCIM Software 101
By Fred Koh - June 15, 2018DCIM, which stands for Data Center Infrastructure Management, gives data center managers a central repository from which they can manage their data centers’ assets, space, power, cabling, cooling, and downtime. DCIM makes managing the ever-expanding ecosystems in data centers less daunting: with DCIM software, cable and circuit outages can be traced and resolved, new equipment…
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Why Big DCIM Vendors Have a Big ROI Problem
By Fred Koh - May 31, 2018Regardless of how much large software vendors may want it to be otherwise, DCIM, aka data center infrastructure management software, isn’t — by its very nature — a one-size-fits-all solution. It can function across a number of different data center functions. Don’t just take my word for it: ask ten DCIM vendors to define exactly…
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Buying DCIM? Don’t Overlook Customer Service
By Jason Sherman - April 4, 2018In general, the importance of good customer service can’t be overstated: with DCIM, it’s crucial to a successful implementation. Unfortunately, with DCIM — it can prove hard to find. I manage customer support for our documentation suite: DCIM, network mapping, and outside plant. I think one reason we have had success is being able to…
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Does This Make My Server Look Fat?
By Jason Sherman - March 13, 2018Does this make my server look fat? Is my floor starting to bulge? Yeah, we have all been there. The server room is starting to look a little heavy…or is it? Hey, we’ve all told ourselves a few little white lies from time to time, ‘maybe it’s just the way the light is hitting this…
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The DCIM Competitive Analysis Gone Wrong (Part Two)
By Jan Durnhofer - February 27, 2018This article continues our previous blog on why we don’t engage in competitive analyses; it is designed to give you an example of why an ‘us vs. them’ DCIM vendor comparison fails. Let’s break it down. First, here’s a link to a competitive analysis on netTerrain from another vendor (who’s never used netTerrain). Now, let’s…
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Why We Won’t Waste Your Time with a DCIM Competitive Analysis (Part One)
By Jan Durnhofer -Sometimes a prospect asks us if we can give them a competitive analysis: you know, how we stack up against some other DCIM competitor. I totally get why we’re asked for these; it is part of the usual song and dance and many organizations want them. We’re not immune: in fact, we have something like…
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Dear Prospect: If You Want Everything, You Need Nothing
By Jan Durnhofer - January 17, 2018“The demo with Jan was incredibly unprofessional. It seemed like he refused to go into any detail about the product. He wanted me to narrow down the focus of what he demo’ed to only what I immediately was interested in.” — Feedback from a Recent Prospect Ouch…that was a first. Apparently, I am unprofessional. Ok,…
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Buying DCIM? If You Overlook This, You’ll End Up Stuck
By Jan Durnhofer - March 15, 2016In this 3rd part of our 8 part blog series, we’ll explore the process of creating an entire Data Center hierarchy – everything from a world level map down to sites, Data Center buildings, floors, racks, devices and ports. Though you may not pay much attention to hierarchies when you’re first on the market for…
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Define a DCIM Custom Object…in 60 Seconds
By Jan Durnhofer - November 19, 2015Almost every DCIM solution comes with standard objects such as model floors, racks, devices or power & cooling elements; many solutions will probably offer some virtual equipment, circuits and cables. There are even some vendors who may model less common things – such as panels or doors – but inevitably, you will need something modeled…
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